Media company Emap has hired Travers Smith's former corporate operations director as its first head of legal.

Emap, which is part of wider media house Top Right Group, has appointed Serena Davidson to the post as the company looks to grow its business.

Davidson has been tasked with handling the media, M&A and technology law needs of Emap, which publishes a range of business-to-business titles including Drapers, Construction News and Health Service Journal.

Davidson left Travers after a year at the firm in December 2014. Before working at the City firm she was head of legal for group M&A at Bupa for four years between 2008 and 2012, before holding roles including consultant for Bupa.

Speaking to Legal Week, Davidson said she returned to in-house work because she "missed being a lawyer" at Travers, where her role was more managerial.

She added that she was more attracted to returning in-house than to private practice. "I feel you can provide so much more value when you are in a business.

"Emap is a growing business; it's ambitious and there's more and more need for legal resource as the business grows."

Legal Week understands Davidson's role at Travers is currently vacant but a replacement has been appointed and is due to start this autumn.

Emap's parent company, previously also known as Emap, has used a variety of law firms for advice in the past. In 2007 it turned to Allen & Overy for advice on selling off some of its businesses and later that year it sought advice from Ashurst on its takeover by private equity group Apax and Guardian Media Group.

The group subsequently rebranded as Top Right Group in 2012, with the business-to-business publishing arm retaining the Emap brand.

Firms that have held spots on the group's panel in the past include CMS Cameron McKenna, DLA Piper, Dawsons, Farrer & Co and US firm Epstein Becker & Green.